Ribbon type razor assembly



April-8, 1952 G. D. JONES RIBBON TYPE RAZOR ASSEMBLY Filed April 28, 1949 650 266 0006075 JONES;

INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 8, 1 952 RIBBON TYPE RAZOR ASSEMBLY George Douglas Jones, Los Angeles, Calif., as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to Reelshaw Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif a corporation of California Application April 28, 1949, Serial N 0. 90,059

7 Claims. 1

and the problem of threading a new blade in place 0 after a used blade has been discarded has not had any practical solution. It has been suggested to provide a cartridge having both supply coil and take-up coil mounted thereon, which cartridge may be mounted on and removed from the razor head as a unit. However, in such proposed constructions the sharpened ribbon blade which extends from the supply coil to the take-up coil must pass over a bridge carried on the razor head. A free unconfined length of ribbon blade bows upwardly between the supply coil and take-up coil and requires considerable care and dexterity on the part of the user to assemble the cartridge unit on the razor head. The possibility of injury by the sharpened blade makes the assembly op eration a hazardous one.

Accordingly, an important object of this invention is to provide a razor assembly having a removable magazine adapted to be supported on a razor head, the magazine including a supply coil, a take-up coil and a spacer connecting the coils, which spacer includes an element which lies above the ribbon blade to prevent it from bowing outwardly.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel form of cartridge or magazine which is simple in construction and well adapted for manufacture in quantity, and which may be disposed of after use so that it is unnecessary ever to touch the ribbon blade.

Other and more detailed objects and advan- Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the parts forming a preferred form of magazine.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lines 66 as shown in Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, the razor assembly includes a. holder generally designated I0 comprising a razor head II and a handle l2 rigidly attached thereto. The head H is adapted to receive a magazine unit generally designated l3. The razor head ll may be inclined at an angle and provided with a forwardly and downwardly extending lip 14. A bridge member I5 is pivotally secured to the head II by means of the pivotal connection [6. The bridge member is provided with a forwardly extending part I! having an upper surface [8 which is parallel to the lip I l when the bridge member I5 is in operative position! The usual guard flange 19 may be provided on the forwardly extending end of the part 11. The bridge member [5 may be held in operative position with respect to the razor head by means of a resilient latch element 20 which'is pivoted to the head I l by means of the rivet 2 I. When the element 20 is turned counterclockwise from the position viewed in Figure 2, the upper end 22 thereof is moved out of engagement with the inclined surface 23 of the bridge member I5. This permits the bridge member l5 to swing about its pivot l6 and to move to the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3.

The magazine I3 may be inserted into place on the razor head H as a unit and held in position by the cooperative action of the element 20 and the bridge member I 5. The magazine 13 includes a pair of shells 24 and 25 held in spaced relationship by means of a strap or spacer 26. The ribbon blade 21 sharpened on one edge 28 is coiled within the supply shell 24 and extends outwardly through an aperture 29 in the circumference of the shell 24. The ribbon blade 21 extends under the straight portion 30 of the spacer 26 and enters the take-up shell 25 through an aperture 3| in its circumference. As shown in Figure 6 the shell 25 encloses a rotary reel or winding drum 32 having a central shaft 33 which extends through the end plate 34 of the shell 25. Slots 35 are provided in the winding drum 32 to permit the ribbon blade to be inserted therein for fastening it with respect to the winding drum.

Means are provided on the shell 25 to prevent reverse rotation of the winding drum 32 with respect to the shell 25, and as shown in the drawings this means includes a plurality of ratchet teeth 36 formed on an integral flange of the winding drum 32 and cooperating with a resilient pawl 31 formed integrally with the cylindrical portion of the shell 25. One side of the pawl 31 is formed by the end surface of the cylindrical portion of the shell 25 and the other side is cut therefrom at 38. The upper end of the pawl 31 is bent inwardly so that it engages the radial faces of the ratchet teeth 36 and prevents counterclockwise rotation as viewed in Figure 6. The pawl is sufficiently resilient to spring radially outwardly and allow the ratchet teeth 36 to turn in a clockwise direction. A knob 39 is formed integrally with the winding drum 32 and ratchet flange so that rotation of the knob acts to wind the ribbon blade 21 onto the reel 32.

The supply coil needs no ratchet because the tendency of the ribbon blade coil to expand within the supply shell 24 forms a frictional resistance against movement of the blade.

The spacer 25 is provided with arcuate portions 40 at its ends which frictionally receive and clamp the shells 24 and 25 in spaced relationship. It will be observed that the straight portion 3%] of the spacer 28 lies above the ribbon blade El so that the natural tendency of the blade 21 to bow outwardly to conform to the coil within the shell 24 and curved section thereof wound on the reel 32 is prevented. The tendency of theribbon blade 2'! to bow outwardly holds it in engagement with the underside of the straight portion 36- of the spacer 25. This is a highly advantageous feature for it enables the cartridge unit or magazine to be handled safely while inserting and with drawing it from the razor head and also facilitates the operations of installation and removal because there is no bowed portion of the blade to interfere with the parts of the razor head assembly.

While the magazine I3 has been illustrated as comprising separate shells 24 and 25 connected by an independent spacer element 28, it will be rec ognized that the spacer may be formed integrally with the shells if desired.

In operation the resilient latch member 28 is swung to its inoperative position to allowthe bridge member 15 to assume its inoperative dotted line position shown in Figure 3. The magazine 13 is. then installed as a unit by placing the straight portion 3!! of the spacer 26 in contact with the underside of the lip M as viewed in Figure 3. The bridge member [5 is then pivoted from the dotted line position to the full line position shown in Figure 3 and the resilient latch 20 is turned in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2 to bring the latch 20 into contact with the stop 4| which is fixed on the bridge member 15. Upwardly directed tabs 42 are provided at the extreme ends of the bridge member i5, and these tabs contact the edges 43 of the spacer 26 immediately adjacent the ends of the central bevelled portion 44. The underside of the ribbon blade 21 rests on the bridge surface l8 and the upper side of the blade 21 is contacted by the lower surface of the straight portion 38 of the spacer 26. The blade 21 is thus securely clamped between the part II of the bridge member 15 and the straight portion 30 of the spacer 26. The razor is then ready for use.

When the exposed portion of the sharpened edge 28 has become dulled through use the knob 39 is turned to bring a fresh section of the blade into operative position. It is not necessary to remove the cartridge or magazine [3; this operation may be accomplished while the magazine 13 is in operative position on the razor head H. When the entire length of ribbon blade 21 has been used the magazine I3 may be disposed of as a unit and there is no problem of handling or disposing of individual unprotected lengths of sharpened blades. A new magazine including the shells 24, 25, ribbon blade 21 and spacer 26 may be installed as a unit.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a safety razor assembly, the combination of: a razor head and a bridge member mounted for relative movement and supported on a handle, a magazine including a ribbon blade having a sharpened edge, the magazine including a first shell receiving a supply coil of said ribbon blade, the magazine also providing a winding reel for the ribbon blade and a second shell enclosing the winding reel, said shells each being substantially cylindrical, the magazine having a spacer extending between the first and second shells and over the portion of the ribbon blade extending between said shells to prevent outward bowing thereof, the spacer having curved portions at its ends engaging the shells, the magazine being removably mounted between the razor head and the bridge member.

2. In a safety razor assembly, the combination of: a razor head and a bridge member mounted for relative movement and supported on a handle, a magazine including a ribbon blade having a sharpened edge, a first shell on the magazine receiving a supply coil of said ribbon blade, a second shell on the magazine enclosing a winding reel for the ribbon blade, a spacer element of the magazine extending between the first and second shells and over the portion of the ribbon blade extending between said shells to prevent outward bowing thereof, the spacer having means at its ends removably engaging said first and second shells, the spacer and blade being confined between the razor head and the bridge member.

3. In a safety razor assembly. the combination of: a razor head and a bridge member mounted for relative movement and supported on a handle, a magazine including a ribbon blade having a sharpened edge, a first shell on the magazine receiving a supply coil of said ribbon blade, a second shell on the magazine enclosing a winding reel forthe ribbon blade, a spacer element of the magazine extending between the first and second shells and over the portion of the ribbon blade extending between said shells to prevent outward bowing thereof, the spacer having means at its ends removably engaging said first and second shells, and clamping means for releasably securing the spacer and blade between the razor head and the bridge member.

4. In a safety razor assembly, the combination of: a. razor head having a lip, a bridge member mounted for pivotal movement relative to the head, a magazine including a ribbon blade having a sharpened edge, the magazine having a first shell receiving a supply coil of said ribbon blade, the magazine providing a winding reel for the ribbon blade and a second shell enclosing the winding reel, an element of the magazine extending between the first and second means and over the portion of the ribbon blade extending between said means to prevent outward bowing thereof, means at the ends of said element releasably connecting it to each of said shells, and a resilient clamp element pivotally mounted on the razor head and engageable with the bridge member to confine the magazine element and blade between the lip and the bridge member.

5. A magazine unit for use in a razor assembly, comprising a ribbon blade coil, a first shell forming a support for said coil, a second shell enclosing a winding reel for tensioning an operative portion of the blade extending from the coil, and a spacer element extending between said first and second shells, said element having means at its ends releasably connecting it to each of said shells, and said element having a central portion overlying said operative portion of the blade and effective to prevent outward bowing thereof.

6. A magazine unit for use in a razor assembly, comprising a ribbon blade coil, a first shell forming a support for said coil, a second shell enclosing a winding reel for tensioning an operative portion of the blade extending from the coil, and a spacer element having arcuate end portions connected by a straight intermediate portion, the arcuate end portions embracing a part of each of said shells, the intermediate portion overlying said operative portion of the blade and effective to prevent outward bowing thereof.

'7. A magazine unit for use on a razor assembly, comprising a ribbon blade coil, a first shell forming a support for said coil, a winding reel for tensioning an operative portion of the blade extending from the coil, a second shell enclosing the winding reel, said operative portion of the blade being substantially straight and extending between curved portions of the blade in said coil and on said winding reel, the axes of the coil and winding reel being substantially parallel and lying below said straight operative portion of the blade, and a spacer element extending between said first and second means, said element having curved end portions embracing a part of each of said shells, said element having an intermediate straight portion overlying said operative portion of the blade and effective to prevent outward bowing thereof.

GEORGE DOUGLAS JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,492,292 Jones Dec. 27, 1949 2,492,293 Jones Dec, 27, 1949 

